Aigner CEO Sybille Schoen talks about breathing new life into the half-century-old German luxury brand

What’s the story behind Aigner? How did it come to be?
The company Etienne Aigner was founded in Munich back in 1965, but Etienne is actually from Hungary.

He moved from there to Paris when he was young – during the time of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, it was common for people to travel to France for business or lifestyle reasons.

Etienne is a very common French name, you see, while Aigner is a common German one. Afterwards, he moved to New York and began to work for Dior.

He had an idea to launch is own brand, one that would focus on a particular quality of leather. The idea was to use leather that would last forever.

That’s the idea behind the horseshoe logo – the A stands for Aigner while the horseshoe is a sign of good luck.

How as Aigner transitioned over the past half a century? Is it difficult for a brand that is fifty years old to stay relevant in a contemporary world?
Leather has been our passion since the very beginning, and our products now stand for high quality in that field. At the same time, I work with an open-minded team – we’re always up to date with new trends and influences from around the world, and these inspirations are reflected in our collections.

What is most striking is that Christian Back, our Creative Director, has managed to combine the brand’s soul and its timeless appeal with innovative designs. I believe he has that extra special something that keeps us relevant.

Do you think it was easier to be a luxury brand 50 years ago? There was much less competition back then.Nowadays fashion and especially bags are a highly competitive market. We still do have the primary focus on our core – leather goods.

To compete, we make sure that our bags are made with a timeless design – so they are always desirable – and with the highest quality leather.

We also try to leverage the rich history that embodies the Aigner spirit – that’s what differentiates us.

You joined the brand to breathe new life into Aigner. Do you feel that you are on the right track?
Over the past few years, I have strengthened several internal departments and worked with our partners. But I believe we define the future with our past. The products may have changed – but it’s all within our brand’s DNA.

Sometimes, to completely overhaul an existing brand is more challenging than creating an entirely new one.

What’s next? Where will Aigner be in the next 50 years?
Simple. We want to take the same wisdom and experience from the last half a century and apply it to the next.

The world will see a lot from Aigner in the future. We have been listening to the markets around the world, and will continue to expand.

What role does developing markets like the Middle East play in that strategy?
We will definitely extend our point of sales throughout both China and the Middle East. We are also planning on increasing brand awareness with events and marketing activities.

We’re going to have a particular focus on Social media, which is so vital in the current climate.

You’ve worked for many other brands – from Escada to Timberland. Has any of those roles contributed to how you run Aigner today?
I learned about this business from scratch. I have been on various sides of the fashion industry and am privy to the inner workings of several brands.

I don’t want to give away anything specific, but having the total package is the secret to any large fashion brand. And to have a well-rounded understanding of the industry is invaluable.

There is much doom and gloom on the horizon, especially for luxury goods. Should brands like yours be cautious?
It will be challenging. But as always, these periods also have much potential. That’s what we will be focusing on going forward.

Have the buying habits – particularly for luxury goods – changed?
Luxury is more common than ever, and so our target group is continually expanding. We see that as an opportunity, and so have a diverse collection to satisfy various demand.

Do you think luxury is overused in today’s world?
Luxury has always been sought after, but there’s a reason for this. It’s the time, the quality and the craftsmanship these products.

To me, luxury means time. A luxury product is something that has received a lot of time and detail, which justifies a more expensive price point. I’ve always been surrounded by luxury products; it feels they have their own story to tell.